Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he is proud of how much his minority government has achieved in just one year in power.

Speaking to cheering party supporters in an Ottawa hotel Tuesday, the one-year anniversary of the last federal election, Harper said his party has come a long way since winning the vote on Jan. 23, 2006.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper listed his government's accomplishments in a speech to Conservative party members in Ottawa on Tuesday.
(CBC)

"I do still admit that I occasionally pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming," he told the crowd of people seated in front of him, some wearing Conservative party T-shirts.

"Canadians said to us, in effect, show us what you can do and prove to us you can deliver.

"Friends, we rolled up our sleeves and we can look back and say with pride that we have delivered."

He listed the initiatives his government has delivered over the year, including cutting the GST and creating a universal child-care benefit.

He lauded his government's tough stance on street racing, its decision to beef up the Canadian military and its resolution of the softwood lumber dispute with the United States.

Most importantly, he said, his government delivered what he called "the most comprehensive anti-corruption law in Canadian history, the Accountability Act."

The Accountability Act, a key element of Harper's election campaign, was created in the wake of the sponsorship scandal, with the aim of cleaning up the way government does business.

The legislation includes new ethics rules and caps on political donations to candidates and parties. It was signed into law Dec. 12.

'That's quite a list of accomplishments'

"For a minority government in its first year, that's quite a list of accomplishments," Harper said. "Accomplishments achieved because we have a great cabinet, a great caucus and a great group of people working for them."

Harper talked about the sacrifices he and his party members have had to make over the past year, giving up time with their families, as well as job security, to run the government.

He said the sacrifices were made for one reason.

"If there's a common motivation it's this: we love our country, we believe in it. It's as simple as that," he said.

He went on to outline Canada's history from pre-colonization to the modern era, peppering his speech with quotes from Canadian authors such as Yann Martel and Douglas Coupland.

Tories better off one year later

When the Conservatives won the election one year ago, they took 124 seats. The Liberals had 103, the Bloc Québécois 51 and the NDP 29.

A year later, the Tories are better off. They lost MP Garth Turner, who became an Independent, but they gained two Liberal MPs, bringing their seat count to 125.

The Liberals, meanwhile, have lost three MPs, leaving them with 100 seats.

This month, Quebec Liberal Jean Lapierre resigned to co-host a television show, while Ontario Liberal Wajid Khan defected and joined the Tories. Last February, Liberal cabinet minister David Emerson joined the Conservative party.

With the current standings, the NDP holds the balance of power.

NDP wants Tories to tackle climate change

Tuesday, NDP Leader Jack Layton said he will only support the Conservative government through the next federal budget if the Tories take a tough stand on climate change.

Layton made his comments while speaking to students at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Meanwhile, in Quebec City, Liberals at a caucus meeting said they are unlikely to support the budget.

That puts the onus squarely on the NDP to prop up or topple Harper's minority government.

In Harper's speech Tuesday, he said he would make the environment a priority in his government's second year.

With files from the Canadian Press